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Wines and spirits

Yellow wine, straw wine, sparkling wine, Arbois wine... The vineyards of Jura are home to a number of surprises. The region boasts an number of spirits, too: Kirsch, gentian, pine liqueur, Pontarlier anise, absinthe... there is something for everyone.

Franche-Comté: fine wines and spirits

>>Jura wines: original and varied

Who has never heard of the famous straw wine? Or one of the most fascinating curiosities of French winemaking: yellow wine! This pair of wines are able to sum up Jura’s vineyards in a single word: ORIGINAL! In addition to these wines that are unique in France, the Jura and Côtes du Jura vineyards are characterised by three local grape varieties: poulsard (or plousard), savagnin, and trousseau.

It is also home to four “geographic” Controlled Designation of Origin (AOC) labels (Côtes du Jura, L’Etoile, Arbois or Arbois-Pupillin, and Château-Chalon), and three “product” AOCs (Crément du Jura, Macvin du Jura and Marc) complete the diverse selection of wines, which do a fantastic job complementing local cuisine.

To learn the secrets of these unique red, white, and yellow wines, nothing is better than a tasting session in one of the many wine cellars. And for hardcore devotees, every February sees the “Percée du vin Jaune”, which has become one of the leading events on the French winemaking calendar.

>> Apéritifs and digestifs

Franche-Comté is a wine producing and agricultural region, and its inhabitants are the unparalleled masters of turning fruits and plants into unique spirits.

Let’s begin with two mountain spirits: gentian, an eau de vie made by distilling the roots of this flower that is a distinctive feature of the Jura Massif’s alpine meadows. Pine liqueur is as green as the forests of the Haut-Doubs and is the speciality of Pontarlier.

Pontarlier has always stood out for its anise, but today absinthe is also gaining a reputation and the “Absinthe Trail” is a Franco-Swiss tourist route that takes in all of the locations related to the green fairy that has come to symbolise an entire era.

Fougerolles is the Kirsch capital and another iconic culinary location. Ever since the 16th century morello, guigne, and other varieties of cherry have been grown here, to be turned into eau de vie in the region’s distilleries. The site has recently been awarded the “Outstanding Taste (Site Remarquable du Goût)” label, as well as the sought after “Controlled Designation of Origin” status. And if you want to learn all there is to know about the craftsmanship and history that goes into this red gourmet treasure, visit the Cherry Eco-museum!